The Steelers roster changes Brandon Johnson made Tuesday were simple and sharp. Pittsburgh added rookie punter Aidan Laros to its 90-man roster and waived receiver Brandon Johnson in the corresponding move. The roster now carries two punters as training camp approaches.
Aidan Laros Joins Pittsburgh
Laros comes in off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie from Kentucky. At Kentucky, after transferring from Tennessee-Martin, he handled punts and kickoffs over two seasons and averaged 44.9 yards per punt as a senior in 2025.
The numbers explain why the Steelers took the chance. Laros arrived with a specialist’s résumé rather than a wide receiver’s depth-chart path, and that is the sort of move teams usually make when they want a second leg in camp without waiting for later cuts. Pittsburgh signed Cameron Johnston in March to be its punter this season, and Johnston is 34.
Brandon Johnson's Third Pittsburgh Stint
Brandon Johnson’s exit ends his third stint with the Steelers, a stretch that included parts of 2024, 2025 and 2026. His only regular-season game action for Pittsburgh came in 2024, when he played in three games and caught one pass for 9 yards.
The receiver’s NFL track record came before Pittsburgh. During his first two seasons with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and 2023, he played in 20 games and produced 25 catches for 326 yards and five touchdowns. He would be 28 by the time Steelers training camp opens next month.
Pittsburgh usually carries two punters for training camp, so the move fits the club’s normal setup while trimming a receiver who had not carved out a regular-season role in his latest run. For a player coming off a third stint, that leaves Johnson back on the market while Laros gets a direct shot to compete next to Johnston.
